Advent of Peace: The Peace of Christmas - Daniel 10-12

Introduction

“I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - written by 57 year old widower, father of six. His wife had died in 1861 after her dress had caught fire. He tried to put the fire out, but was unable to save her life. Two years later, his oldest son left to serve the Union Army in the Civil War. During his time, he had been severely injured as he was shot through the shoulder and the bullet had nicked his spine, nearly paralyzing him. However, he would recover, but would take at least six months to heal. He would come home on December 3, 1863.

On Christmas Day in 1863, as his son lay recovering, Henry heard the Christmas bells ringing in Cambridge and the singing of “peace on earth” and reflecting on all he had seen in his life, did not see or feel the peace that was being sung about.

Thus, the fourth, fifth, and sixth verses of his original poem go as follows:

Then from each black, accursed mouth The cannon thundered in the South, And with the sound The carols drowned Of peace on earth, good-will to men! It was as if an earthquake rent The hearth-stones of a continent, And made forlorn The households born Of peace on earth, good-will to men! And in despair I bowed my head; "There is no peace on earth," I said; "For hate is strong, And mocks the song Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Do you ever feel this way? We talk of peace on earth and the peace that Christ has come to bring, but we can have a hard time seeing and sensing the peace we are supposed to have.

We can still look around the world and hear the reports of war, school shootings, violent protests, changing moral landscapes, and more. Where is the peace that the Angels promised to the Shepherds in Luke 2:14?

This is where we find Daniel in chapter 10.

Read Daniel 10:1-12

Daniel 10:1–12 (ESV)

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. And the word was true, and it was a great conflict. And he understood the word and had understanding of the vision.

In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks. On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris) I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude. And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves. So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed, and I retained no strength. Then I heard the sound of his words, and as I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground.

And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.

He is praying and mourning during the third year of the reign of Cyrus. Why is he mourning?

We know, based on what we read from Ezra 1, that in his first year, Cyrus gave the decree to rebuild the temple. However, the people did not leave for Jerusalem until his second year. When they got to Jerusalem, the first thing they did was to rebuild the altar so they could offer sacrifices again. But by the third year, they had not yet started rebuilding the temple. Although we know that according to Ezra 3, they would begin building the foundation the following month. So Daniel might be mourning because the temple wasn’t rebuilt yet. It could also be that only 50,000 people returned to Jerusalem. Now, Daniel is close to 90 years old at this time, so he and many others are unable to make the journey back home. He will never get to see his homeland again in his lifetime. He might be mourning that he cannot be there to sacrifice and celebrate the passover at home. It might also be that he is mourning for all those who could go back but have refused because they have become too comfortable in their new home of Babylon.

Whatever the reason, things are not how they should be. The end of the seventy years are passed, and even though he knows it will be longer until God brings about a total and final salvation, things should seem better than what they are right now.

The Vision:

So Daniel is being given another vision. Before, he has had Gabriel come and give him a message. But now, I believe we are seeing Christ coming as the messenger to encourage Daniel in his time of mourning.

Daniel sees a vision of this metal man, a man with burnished bronze arms and legs with a sash of gold around his waist. While some think this might just be another angel, many scholars believe this is Christ because of this description, which John picks up in his vision of Jesus in the book of Revelation:

Revelation 1:13–16 (ESV)

and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.

There is Peace Because God is In Control

What is the reason for this vision of this metal man?

This image conveys the strength and permanence of God

The appearance of this metal man is meant to take us back to Daniel chapter 2, with Nebuchadnezzar’s vision of a metal statue. That statue represented the world kingdoms and power, beginning with Babylon as the head and then moving on through the world powers of Persia, Greece and Rome and then ending in its destruction with a rock that was not formed by any human hand. While that statue represented human power and authority, this metal man is showing us the One who is Lord over all the nations.

Metal is a picture of strength and power. It is also a pI tire of permanence. So God is communicating to Daniel that He is the true King of all nations and is moving history to its proper end, even though current events still appear chaotic and conflict still abounds.

This vision communicates the reality of spiritual warfare that is affecting world events

Through the rest of this chapter, this metal man is going to describe a conflict that is going on beyond what Daniel can see. All he can see is that things are not where they should be. Not all the people have chosen to go home. The people have not even started rebuilding the temple yet. And even when they do, they are going to face opposition in their endeavors. He, himself, is unable to be at home with his people. The world is not at peace yet!

However, this metal man is going to be talking about being in a conflict with spiritual powers. As we watch the news and see what’s going on in the world around us, we need to realize there is a spiritual war going on for the souls of people all around us. We do not talk much about this as Baptists, but this is a reality that Scripture talks about quite often and God wants Daniel to know that this spiritual war is affecting what he is seeing in the world around him.

Paul talks about this in Ephesians 6:12

Ephesians 6:12 ESV

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

The true conflict we are witnessing is not what we see, but in what we cannot see. And our true enemy is not those with flesh and blood, but those of the spiritual realm. For Daniel, his enemies were never those of Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, or Darius. It was the spiritual powers to which those men are enslaved. And God has his army actively involved in the fight against those spiritual powers.

Why hasn’t God just eliminated those evil powers?

It is true that God could easily snap his fingers and eliminate the evil spiritual powers that continue to fight against Him. Why doesn’t He just do that? Why does it seem like God is being held up by the spiritual powers?

We have to remember that God could eliminate all evil, but if He were to do that, that would include any within whom evil dwells. We know that because we are sinners, we too are evil and God would have to eliminate all of us. He is choosing to hold Himself back for the sake of His patience and His love for those who do not yet know Him.

2 Peter 3:8–9 (ESV)

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

He is going to overcome and defeat the powers of darkness, but this is not how He is going to choose to do so.

This vision communicates that God knows all and is in full control of the situation

What He does communicate to Daniel in the rest of this chapter and in chapter 11 is that He is in full control of the situation, even if things still seem chaotic. Even as we sing,

And in despair I bowed my head; "There is no peace on earth," I said; "For hate is strong, And mocks the song Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Christ is telling Daniel that He is going to go back out to fight against the prince of Persia and that after that the prince of Greece will come. But all this is part of God’s plan in overcoming and defeating evil and bringing peace to a troubled world.

Then throughout chapter 11, God will give Daniel a vision of what will happen over the next 300/350 years, down to pretty exact details. In fact, it is going to be so precise that some liberal scholars believe that chapter 11 was written later after the time of those events and then put back into the book of Daniel to make it look like prophecy.

What is the purpose of sharing all this? It is to show Daniel and to the rest of God’s people that nothing is happening without God’s knowledge and permission.

What would happen if a coach of one football team gained access to all the plays of their opposing team and knew exactly which plays they were going to call throughout the game? That team would have the advantage and would be able to win the game because they would be able to properly defend and attack. The team with all the information should not be able to lose, as long as they could execute the information appropriately.

With God, He knows all and has the power and ability to overcome the powers of evil.

Everything that is going on today in our world are things that God has seen and known about before the beginning of time. He is not surprised by anything that happens.

John 16:33 (ESV)

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

This should be able to give us peace in the midst of the conflict knowing that God has already won the battle as we wait for Him to bring it to an end in His own perfect timing!

There is Peace Because Christ has Overcome

We talked earlier that Christ could just automatically wipe out the forces of evil that press against Him. However, He has not chosen that path to overcome and defeat evil.

How has He chosen to defeat the forces of evil in this world and to bring peace?

Well, let’s go back to Daniel chapter 3. We saw a man who was so obsessed with his own power and position, he wanted to overcome his opposition and to establish his own kingdom permanently.

Nebuchadnezzar, driven mad by pride, erected a statue of his own image of gold and forced everyone to worship it to solidify his own power and permanence. However, we saw how futile that was, a man trying to make himself into a metal man.

God’s plan to establishing an eternal kingdom is exactly the opposite. The truly metal man, the one with all the power and permanence, chose to come down as a servant, born of a virgin.

It was during the birth of this metal man made human that we hear the angels sing:

Luke 2:14 (ESV)

“Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

This metal man would be born, not in a palace or even in the temple, but would be born in a stable, available for all men, including unclean shepherds and thieves, to come to Him.

This servant would grow and live a perfect life of obedience to God the Father. And in the greatest act of defiance to the evil forces, it appears He is actually subdued and defeated by the spiritual forces of darkness. From the point of view of his friends and followers, it looks once again that God has lost! This man was mocked and beaten and pierced and nailed to the cross.

There is no peace on earth I said!

And yet, this was God’s way of winning peace on earth. This man who was killed on a cross would be buried for three days and then rise victoriously from the dead!

It’s not about the manger where the baby laid, it’s not about the angels who sang for Him that day, it’s not about the shepherds or the bright and shining star, its not about the wise men who travelled from afar. It’s about the cross and the stone that was rolled away!

Christ has brought peace and won the conflict by dying and rising again so that wicked sinners would not be wiped out, but could be invited into this eternal kingdom of this glorious metal man!

There Will Be a Perfect Peace for Those in Christ

So for now, we live in a world of conflict around us, but if we are believers in Christ, we know we have found a peace that exists beyond what we see. We do not fear the conflict of the world around us because we know Christ has already won the battle.

In the words of a beloved pastor in Midland, TX, one whom I never had the privilege of meeting because he passed away just a few short months before I got there, he was known for saying, “I’ve read the last page, and we win!”

This is the peace that we have right now. We can confidently sing that last verse of the song, along with Henry Longfellow:

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: "God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail, With peace on earth, good-will to men."

But there is an encouragement for Daniel and for us that there will be more than just an inward peace that we are looking forward to. There is a physical peace that is coming.

Daniel 12:1–3 ESV

“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

There is coming a peace in which evil will be defeated and obliterated forever and all those whose names are written in the book will experience a physical everlasting life of peace.

What book is being mentioned here?

This is the book of life that is also mentioned in Revelation 20. If anyone’s name was not written in this book, they will be thrown into the lake of fire, but all those whose names are in there will go into eternal life.

And then Revelation 21 gives a picture of what this eternal life looks like.

It is a life where God is creating a new creation, a new heavens and a new earth. And the city of Jerusalem, which Daniel is longing to see, will come down out of heaven and will be placed upon this new earth.

Revelation 21:3–4 ESV

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

This is the peace that Christmas has brought to us. Because this metal man chose to take on a human body and has taken upon Himself the penalty of sin by dying upon the cross and coming back to life, there is a peace that is guaranteed to all those who by grace place their faith in this metal man! It is a peace that we will experience by dwelling with Christ in the flesh and there will be no more pain, death, or tears.

But notice, this peace is not promised to everyone.

This is the peace that the angels sang about, “peace among those with whom He is pleased.”

It is not a peace for everyone, but only for those who have come to Christ by faith.

This is a peace we can claim today even in the midst of our trials and the conflict our world faces even now. But there is a greater peace which we, along with Daniel, are longing to experience when all evil is finally vanquished. For now, we get to invite others into this peace as we share what Christ has done for us with those around us. As we wait for God to bring a final end of the conflict of this world, let us be busy bringing peace to those who have not yet experienced that peace!